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Discipline data show small share of repeat incidents; district expands PBIS, community‑school planning and BASC screening
Summary
City Schools of Decatur reported that 92% of students had no referrals this year, while about 8% had at least one; Beacon Hill and Decatur High were flagged for common behavior types. The district is expanding PBIS, universal screening and planning a community‑school model at Decatur High.
City Schools of Decatur officials reported that the vast majority of students had no discipline referrals this school year, while a small subset accounted for repeat incidents, and outlined next steps including universal screening, PBIS expansion and a community‑school planning process.
Frances Holt, assistant superintendent for student support services, said 92 percent of students had zero referrals during the year; 31 students — under 2 percent of enrollment — had three or more incidents, and approximately 8 percent of students had at least one incident. Holt said the data indicate progress toward a more restorative, supportive approach to student behavior but identified schools with specific trends.
"At Beacon Hill, the data indicates that fighting is the most frequently reported behavior this year," Holt said, adding that Beacon Hill will strengthen de‑escalation, restorative practices and trauma‑informed approaches. "At Decatur High School, skipping is the most frequently reported behavior," she said. District staff said they are partnering with school leaders to create targeted plans to increase engagement and reduce absences.
Holt described a range of supports: the district’s rebranded SEL program (future readiness skills or FRS), continued use of the BASC‑3 behavioral screening tool (with opt‑out available to parents), and PBIS walk‑throughs that show incremental improvements in implementation. She also reported that the district has invested in a Communities in Schools (CIS) partnership at four schools with caseload supports to 169 students; City Schools of Decatur invested $195,000 in the partnership, which staff said resulted in $335,348 total impact including partner contributions and assistance.
The district is beginning prework this fall to transition the Decatur High student center into a community‑school model with technical assistance from MREFA. Holt said the prework establishes purpose, roles and initial listening activities; subsequent phases will assess needs and define priorities with the community.
Why it matters: The discipline and screening data are used to target supports and reduce exclusionary discipline. The community‑school model and CIS partnership are intended to connect families to services that address non‑academic barriers to learning.
Next steps: Holt said the district will continue BASC screening and provide annual reports disaggregated by school and incident type; track outcomes for students served by CIS and report aggregate measures of program impact at future board meetings.
